Memorable Commentator Reactions

BillNeal · Jul 16, 2018

I was just watching Joannie Rochette's short program in Vancouver again and have been reminded at just how heartfelt Scott Hamilton's reaction was. This was a very emotional performance for both her and the audience, with her mother's passing just a few days before. Scott Hamilton was speaking through tears: https://youtu.be/VPcJ2czDg2U?t=262

B.ESP commentators are fan favourites with their enthusiasm for all skaters and their use of idioms like "well, that threw the cat amongst the pigeons." However, I think the exhale of admiration during V/M's Umbrellas of Cherbourg is my favourite.

Any heartfelt, intriguing, hilarious, and/or memorable commentator reactions for you?

asiacheetah · Jul 16, 2018

Any of the BESP uncles to the various Yuzu performances are my go to repeat viewing experience. My favorite quotes are "A triple Axel out of nowhere!" "Wrap him up in cotton wool"

Anything really. I can rewatch R+J 1.0 WC Nice performance with the uncles commenting any time. Also the 2016 GPF Seimei performance or 2017 WC Hope and Legacy performance. I stan the BESP uncles.

Eeyora · Jul 16, 2018

Dick Button at the end of Michelle Kwan’s 2003 Worlds performance. “Whooo hoo hoo”

And Dick’s reaction to a Rudy Galindo winning Nationals in 1996,

lesnar001 · Jul 17, 2018

Dick Button trying to keep from laughing when the looking at the replay of Totmiamina & Marinin's LP when his sleeve got caught on her skate and kept stretching longer and longer.

happens at 6 min 3 sec point

sadya · Jul 17, 2018

British Eurosport commentators after the lp of Bonaly in 1998 Nagano. Talking about the illegal black flip, one of them quipped 'I don't know that it is, she landed it on one foot!'. Actually, most of my favourite commentary was from the British Eurosport team back in the 90s.

IceBallerina · Jul 17, 2018

After Yuzuru’s Olympic short program(2018), the BESP commentators said everyone else was a “pretender to his crown.” The BESP uncles also had quite the reaction to his 2017 worlds LP.

NBC’s commentary on Yuna Kim’s 2010 Olympic LP was also memorable.

lesnar001 · Jul 17, 2018

Scott Hamilton & Sandra Bezic's excitement during Sarah Hughes' long program at the 2002 Olympics.

KiraraChin · Jul 17, 2018

"What a performance! What an athlete! What a skate!" - Olympic Channel commentator after Zhenya's AK performance at Pyeongchang

TallyT · Jul 17, 2018

asiacheetah said:
Any of the BESP uncles to the various Yuzu performances are my go to repeat viewing experience. My favorite quotes are "A triple Axel out of nowhere!" "Wrap him up in cotton wool"

They're lovely about pretty much any skater given half a excuse to be (I have a special folder which could be called "The BESP Uncles Love You All") but they do seem to have that extra soft spot for Yuzuru.

Two of my own favourite comments are Kurt Browning's "Jumps like that, possibly, are dropped from heaven. And he was just the right guy to catch it."

... and the absolute classic from Max Ambesi: "Welcome to Planet Hanyu. Population, one: HIM."

PS - and a BESP one for someone else, I remembered and had to add, for Zhiganshina/Gazsi's Two from the Grave... "I have no idea what they're doing. But I love it!"

ladyjane · Jul 17, 2018

The wonderful and always enjoyable uncles of BESP have already been mentioned a few times, and I'll second that heartily. In the 90s and early 2000s we had Joan Haanappel on Dutch eurosport who was also a great commentator as she would flow along with the skates of everybody, heartfelt 'oh no's' when a skater would suddenly fall, constructive criticism for everyone, knowledgeable comments on skating skills, jump quality (including information about flutzes and lips when the IJS did not yet exist and judges weren't very strict on those), as well as artistry. A bit like the two uncles really. It was a great loss when she stopped (and I switched over to BESP to get the experience back).

yume · Jul 17, 2018

TallyT said:
They're lovely about pretty much any skater given half a excuse to be (I have a special folder which could be called "The BESP Uncles Love You All")

Not really. They are not harsh, but they know how to throw shade. The most subtles commentators with Kurt Browning.

Shedi0806 · Jul 17, 2018

You guys have mentioned some of my favorites. I also have to include their reaction at Shoma's short at 2017 Worlds: "Fighting back the tears a little bit.... the guy....has nerves of steel"

For me, this is iconic.

Henni147 · Jul 17, 2018

The best of all the best: "Ambescalation" in Helsinki 2017 :rofl:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63yfRMSF_V8&t=320s (with Eng Sub)

The best excerpts:

Ambesi: WELCOME BACK TO PLANET HANYU!! POPULATION ONE: ONLY HIM!! Angelo, please go on, I can't.
[...]
Dolfini: Imagine, this will be much more than 90 in PCS-
Ambesi: 90?! Are you kidding?!? I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS!! YOU CANNOT NOT GIVE 100 IN PCS!!! YOU MUST GIVE A 10 FOR EVERYTHING, BECAUSE THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT!!!
INTERPRETATION: 10!!! CHOREOGRAPHY: 10!!!
TRANSITIONS: DO WE EVEN WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT?!? You'll see, what the others will do later.
PERFORMANCE: 10!!! [with Dolfini in Chorus]
SKATING SKILLS: YOU WON'T SEE ANYTHING BETTER THAN THAT!!! A COMPLEXITY ON EDGES AND STEPS THAT WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE!!!
Again, please go on. I feel like crying, because this was an incredible performance. A historic moment for the whole sport world! A living legend!
[...]
Ambesi: 97.08. That's a scandal.
Dolfini: [laughs] A scandal, indeed.
Ambesi: We have to take note about that. That's not acceptable. 223.20. That's the best freeskate in figure skating history and now you can all try to catch him.
[...]
Ambesi: Kolyada's face tells everything.

I will NEVER forget this outburst in my life. Thank you, Massimiliano :thank:

gizmo · Jul 17, 2018

Henni147 said:
The best of all the best: "Ambescalation" in Helsinki 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63yfRMSF_V8&t=320s (with Eng Sub)

The best excerpts:

I will NEVER forget this outburst in my life. Thank you, Massimiliano

Yes, Max and Angelo are the best!!!! :clap:

yume · Jul 17, 2018

Henni147 said:
The best of all the best: "Ambescalation" in Helsinki 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63yfRMSF_V8&t=320s (with Eng Sub)

The best excerpts:

I will NEVER forget this outburst in my life. Thank you, Massimiliano

He's incredible :laugh:

The best.

yoloaxel · Jul 17, 2018

asiacheetah said:
"Wrap him up in cotton wool"

My favorite!!!

anonymoose_au · Jul 17, 2018

I'll always remember Scott Hamilton's memorable comment re: Plushy at Vancouver 2010 words to the effect of: "How did he land that?! He's a cat!"

Also while it could get annoying, you've got to give Scott props for his excitement especially when jumps come along "Triple axel triple TOOOOE!"

BillNeal · Jul 17, 2018

Giving a shoutout to the tdp commentators. I didn't have to understand Spanish to realize how excited they were through the last minute and a half of Javier's FS at 2015WC in anticipation of having their country's first World Champion:

https://youtu.be/hz50O9z4Elk?t=235

Ares · Jul 17, 2018

Polish Eurosport shades towards Evgenia Medvedeva last season were memorable :drama:

Civil, but well ... memorably accurate in my perception. It was a fairly surprising change as before that season I don't remember that.

I'd have to dig little bit to find clips and to translate them but I likelt won't as we don't want some toxic evolvement of this thread.

FSLover17 · Jul 17, 2018

Scott Hamilton during Jason's Riverdance at US Nationals in Boston:
https://youtu.be/J61k2XjRryM?t=307

Memorable Commentator Reactions

BillNeal

You Know I'm a FS Fan...

asiacheetah

Eeyora

lesnar001

sadya

IceBallerina

lesnar001

KiraraChin

TallyT

ladyjane

yume

🍉

Shedi0806

Henni147

gizmo

yume

🍉

yoloaxel

anonymoose_au

Insert weird opinion here

BillNeal

You Know I'm a FS Fan...

Ares

FSLover17

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